We begin with a confession. I am not the biggest fan of Canary Wharf. Its reputation precedes it; soaring, Dubai-like skyscrapers, grid-like streets, a blue-shirted population that’s only spotted between Tuesday and Thursday. Dining destination? Get real. It’s rare that you’d even hop off the DLR here unless you’re on your way to a meeting. 

Or so I thought. Until I found myself ready to fight my boyfriend to the death over the last piece of cuttlefish toast while sitting on the terrace at Roe. I paused, fork midair, watching a group of banker-types giggle and frolic next to the Thames, which was sparkling in the early evening sun. Seagulls swooped through the skyscrapers. At the next table, a waitress was explaining how the rosé was made in Walthamstow. It felt right. Idyllic even, especially given the cornucopia of creative small plates set before us. 

This is the effect of Roe – one of the shiny new restaurants transforming London’s corporate capital into a culinary phenomenon. Here’s what to expect if you make the journey out east.

The background 

Roe is the follow-up to Fallow, the St James’s smash-hit known for its unflinching nose-to-tail approach (famously, its signature dish is a whole fish head). But where Fallow goes against the current, Roe is, to put it bluntly, more mainstream. It has a flash set up that’s well-suited to its sharply dressed surroundings, a menu mixing crowd-pleasers with creative concoctions, and a by-the-glass wine list that includes some London-based winemakers alongside classic French regions. 

It’s part of a flurry of new openings in Canary Wharf that seem set on transforming the area into a hub for gourmands. It makes sense, really – instead of making foodie financial workers travel into town, you could also do the opposite and bring interesting, if expensive, restaurants to them. It feels deliberate, then, that Roe’s name both references a deer and, apparently, a financial acronym for “return on investment”. So far, so Canary Wharf.

The space 

In a word, massive. But in a few more: Roe is a 500-cover behemoth skulking at the base of a skyscraper. But its size is split into several distinct parts, creating the sensation of a culinary theme park. Inside, there’s a spitting open kitchen and softly curving walls that give the impression of being inside a giant conch shell. Delicate 3D-printed mushrooms protrude from every which-way, lamps hang over tables like giant water droplets, and there’s a waterside wraparound terrace for sunny evenings alfresco. 

That’s not all. Upstairs, there’s a futuristic garden wall that’s powered by hydroponics and hand-pollinated by staff with paintbrushes. It’s here that Roe grows most of its herbs and vegetables, using up to 90 per cent less water than a typical farm would. Now that’s what we call a return on investment. 

The food 

You could come here for a burger and chips, but you might as well hedge your bets on Patty & Bun down the road if that’s what you’re after. Roe is a restaurant for foodies – so strap yourself in and set off on a small plate safari. Starting with sourdough, seared and topped with mushroom parfait, a buttery, umami drizzled mousse that must be consumed by the dollop. Then there was venison tartare – fishier than expected, thanks to a gleaming pile of cod’s roe – and an oven-speckled mortadella flatbread laced with a lick of lemon. 

Then came the cuttlefish toast, and my first foray into Roe’s surgically precise use of spice. Layers of numbing Sichuan chilli gave way to bites of white fish that’s practically propelled into your mouth by a springy brioche base. Forget the sad, squashed prawn toasts of Chinese takeaways gone by; this stuff has life – and longevity. We set a timer after noticing the long finish and find the flavour goes for a full 90 seconds. 

There’s also good London representation on the wine list, including a rosé made in Walthamstow, as well of plenty of French bottles fit for all price points. Warm evenings call for one of the frozen cocktails, and adventurous ones for a gin and carrot juice aperitif.

The verdict 

As far as sequels go, Roe is a banger – and perhaps even better than the original. Its hydroponic set-up and innovative approach will surely allow its creativity to flourish further, and – although I might be wearing Roe-tinted glasses at this point – it provides a compelling reason to come to Canary Wharf. Consider me converted. 

The bill 

As lofty as the nearby skyscrapers – £250 for two, excluding wine.

Roe, 5 Park Drive, Wood Wharf, E14 9GG; roerestaurant.co.uk